Design Team
Our role
Our Role
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Design and implementation of consistent branding of the project
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Visualization of proposed pathway
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GIS analysis of current issues with roadway and creating solutions
Eva Huang
Computer Science Major
Eli Derrington
Civil Engineering Major
Amelia Keller
Industrial Design Major
Findings
Proposals
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Creates a protected bike and pedestrian facility
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Adds signalized crossings across Hollowell Parkway
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Connects Grove Park to Westside Park greenspace
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Connects Grove Park’s two commercial hubs (Hollowell Pkwy @ Hollywood Rd & Hollowell Pkwy @ West Lake Ave) to each other and to residential streets
Introduction
Our team is proposing to expand the current pedestrian pathway on Hollowell Parkway to create a multi-use trail connecting the Bankhead Marta Station to the heart of Grove Park.
Our objectives for creating this pathway include providing sustainable transportation to residents and visitors of Grove Park, connecting the residents to essential social and economic resources, creating communal spaces for the community to interact and connect, interconnecting parks and recreational spaces in Grove Park, and providing sustainable connectivity as a platform to spark local economic opportunities.
Technical Design
The pathway begins at the intersection of Edwin Place Park and ends at the Bankhead Marta Station. It also provides a connection to the Proctor Creek Greenway. The total length is estimated to be about 1.7 miles long (including the extension of the pathway to the entrance to Westside Park). It is also connected to the proposed Valley Branch Greenway on the southside of Grove Park, including a pedestrian bridge that allows safe access for southside residents to cross the road. Some key points along the trail include the Dogwood Senior Center, Paradise Baptist Church, the Dogwood Library, Harper-Archer Middle School, the West Lake Food Mart, Grove Park, the Grove Park Recreation Center, and the Kipp Woodson Park Academy Construction Site, as well as other local commerce and businesses, as shown in Figure 1. Additionally, we have created a graphic that displays the bus stops along our route, as shown in Figure 2 to highlight our key focus on interconnectivity.
Figure 1. Graphic that displays the proposed pathway on Hollowell Parkway.
Figure 2. Graphic that displays the MARTA bus stops along our proposed pathway.
Figure 3. Proposed cross-section for Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, viewed to the East.
Figure 4. Proposed cross-section for Francis Place, viewed to the North.
To connect the Valley Branch Greenway with the sidepath on the North side of Hollowell, we are proposing a HAWK beacon crossing. This type of signal, also known as a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, has been shown to cause strong safety improvements, including a 69% reduction in pedestrian crashes (FHWA, 2010). This signal was also found to have a motorist compliance rate of above 97% (TCRP & NCHRP, 2006). Furthermore, a HAWK beacon is well-suited for high volume and high speed roads such as Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway (PEDS, 2014). In fact, a HAWK beacon crossing already exists on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway at the Harper-Archer Middle School. The proposed location for this crossing is around the Grove Park Theater and under-construction KIPP Woodson Academy, however the Georgia Department of Transportation will have the final determination, as they control Hollowell Parkway.
Level of Traffic Stress
One metric for scoring the suitability of bicycle facilities for different riders is the Level of Traffic Stress (LTS). This metric seeks to quantify the amount of stress a bicycle rider would feel on a facility due to factors such as the speed of vehicles, the width of the street, the amount of protection the bicycle facilities have, and the frequency of crossings due to driveways or side streets, among other considerations. Facilities are assigned to one of four levels from 1-4, with lower scores corresponding to a less stressful riding experience. Each of the four levels roughly corresponds to a different bicyclist ability class — 1 is “suitable for children,” 2 is for “interested but concerned” cyclists, 3 is for those who are “enthused and confident,” and level 4 is for “strong and fearless” riders (Furth).
Figure 7 shows the Grove Park neighborhood with each street and path highlighted according to its existing Level of Traffic Stress. Streets that are green have a LTS of 1, yellow have LTS 2, orange LTS 3, and red LTS 4. Figure 8 shows the same information if our proposed facilities are implemented.
